holdover

1 of 2

noun

hold·​over ˈhōld-ˌō-vər How to pronounce holdover (audio)
: one that is held over

hold over

2 of 2

verb

held over; holding over; holds over

intransitive verb

: to continue (as in office) for a prolonged period

transitive verb

1
b
: to retain in a condition or position from an earlier period
2
: to prolong the engagement of
the film was held over another week

Examples of holdover in a Sentence

Noun He is the only holdover from their last championship team. This policy is a holdover from the previous administration. Verb the golf tournament had to be held over until the line of thunderstorms had passed through
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
There were a few holdovers from John Harbaugh’s Ravens staff, but Minter had about two dozen hires to make. Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 12 May 2026 It is praised by online commenters for its traditional cheese enchiladas, puffy tacos and thin, light tortilla chips that are a holdover from El Rancho Grande. Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
Verb
Maduko’s curious hold over the top leaders of the system would have grown stronger. Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2026 But polls and special elections that have been held over the past year or so suggest that the pendulum has swung among Latino voters. Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for holdover

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1893, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1647, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of holdover was in 1647

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Cite this Entry

“Holdover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holdover. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

hold over

verb
: to continue beyond a normal or planned time
the movie was held over for three weeks
holdover
ˈhōl-ˌdō-vər
noun

Legal Definition

hold over

intransitive verb
: to remain in a position or condition
one who holds over in possession of a building after the expiration of a term of yearsB. N. Cardozo
holdover noun
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